References

In shipbuilding, most research is currently focused on sustainable propulsion systems for larger ship types with a power of 4,000 kW or more. For smaller ship types with significantly lower power and a length of up to max. 60 metres, there are no systematic, holistic as well as sustainable approaches to the development of alternative propulsion systems. This is precisely the gap that the EcoShip60 network aims to fill.

The aim of the EcoShip60 network is to develop more environmentally friendly alternative propulsion systems for small to medium-sized working and patrol boats that allow users to sail at low cost with high performance and long range. Small and medium-sized enterprises as well as research institutions from all over northern Germany have joined forces for this purpose.

DSN has been in charge of network management since the beginning. Partners jointly develop applications for innovative R&D projects in order to receive funding from the ZIM and other programmes. A number of applications have already been approved and more are being planned.

EcoShip60 was funded by the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs from 2017 to 2021. From 2022 to the end of 2024, activities were financed solely from the partners' own funds.

In 2023, EcoShip60 was named ZIM Network of the Year at the SME Innovation Day by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs. Read hier the EcoShip60 ZIM success story.

Since 2025, EcoShip has been organised by the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany.

• EcoShip60 Website
• Video "ZIM Network 2023"

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